Objectives In Sweden, the number of working-aged women in employment is now almost equal to that of men. While this has many benefits, it presents challenges in organizing work and non-work responsibilities around children, which may impact employees` mental health.

Methods Based on the Swedish Longitudinal Occupational Survey of Health (SLOSH) cohort study, we prospectively examined gender differences for the effects of work–family conflict and caring for children on mental health among Swedish workers. Mental health status was assessed using a brief (Hopkins) symptom checklist depression scale. We used information from three waves of data over five years (2014–2018) for 5846 women and 4219 men aged 20–64 at baseline. Linear fixed-effects analyses were performed examining within-person changes in work interfering with family (WFC) and family interfering with work (FWC) and associated changes in depressive symptoms by childcare intensity (0, 1–10, >10 hours/week) and sex.

Results Changes in mean scores for WFC and FWC were associated with changes in depressive symptoms for men [no childcaring: WFC 1.31 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.13–1.49), FWC 0.70 (95% CI 0.43–0.96); childcaring >10 hours/week: WFC 1.39 (95% CI 0.53–2.25), FWC 1.24 (95% CI 0.27–2.21)] and women [no childcaring: WFC 1.57 (95% CI 1.41–1.73), FWC 1.04 (95% CI 0.79–1.30); childcaring >10 hours/week: WFC 2.04 (95% CI 1.36–2.73), FWC 1.57 (95% CI 0.82–2.32)].

Conclusion Higher levels of WFC and FWC are associated with increased depressive symptoms in both men and women. The impact is greater for those with greater childcaring responsibilities intensity.